Safety switch for motor vehicles



y 1951 w. v. aRuseER I 1 2,553,892

su s'rv swncu FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed Nov. 26. 1948 m 9a w w Allorlzcy;

Patented May 22, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SAFETY SWITCH FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Ward V. Brugger, Nichols, Wis.

Application November 26, 1948, Serial No. 62,007

2 Claims.

The present inventionrelates to'new and useful improvements in electrical switches and more particularly to a safety switch for use with automobiles and other motor vehicles and designed for disconnecting the electrical circuit of the vehicle at a point between-thebattery and the starter switch.

An important object of the invention is to provide a safety switch of this character whereby the battery may be disconnected to prevent leakage of the current when the vehicle is idle, as well as to prevent the hazard of fire in case of a. short circuit in the electric system.

A further object of the invention is to provide a safety switch of this character which may be easily and quickly mount-ed in a suitable position to a part of a motor vehicle and which at the same time is simple and practical in construction, efficient and reliable in operation, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the switch;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view;

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentar vertical sectional view taken on a line 44 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the locking connection for the pivot pin for the switch.

Referring now to the drawing in detail wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 designates an attaching base or plate of insulation material and on which a switch housing 6 is secured by flanges at the lower edge of the housing secured to the base 5 by screws or the like 8. The top of the housing 6 is curved as shown at 9 and formed with a slot Ill.

Terminals II and 2 extend through the base 5, the upper or inner end of terminal I I having a head I3 positioned in the bottom of a channelshaped contact H3 having inwardly and downwardly curved upper edges to form a pair of spaced apart resilient contact plates IS.

A bolt or pin it extends transversely through the sides of the contact M and through the lower ends of contact plates l5, one end of the pin 2 l6 having a head I7 and the other end ofthe pin having a nut l8 threaded thereon. A coil spring I9 is positioned between head I! and the contact plate l5 at the adjacent side of the contact M and a similar coil spring 20 is positioned between nut l8 and the other contact plate IS,

the springs l9; and 20 urging the contact plates l5 toward each other.

The'inner or upper end of terminal I2 is also formed with a head 2| positioned in the bottom of a channel-shaped bracket 22 having opposed resilient side walls 23 and-in which a pivot pin or bolt 24 is positioned transversely thereof.

The bolt or pin 24 is also formedwith a head 25 at one end and a nut 26 threaded on its opposite end and coil springs 21 and 21a are positioned on the opposite ends of the pin or bolt 24 to bear against the resilient side 23 of the bracket to urge the same inwardly.

The heads I! and 25 of each of the pins or bolts I6 and 24 are formed with a notch 28 in which the adjacent end of its associated coil spring I9 or 21, as the case may be, is engaged as shown in Figure 5 of the drawing to lock the pin or bolt from turning movement.

An L-shaped switch lever is designated generally at 29 and includes an upstanding handle 30 preferably of light gauge metal and to the lower end of which an inverted channel member 3| is welded or otherwise suitably secured. An insulation plate 32 is riveted in the channel member 3| and a channel-shaped conductor member 33 of copper or other suitable material is riveted or otherwise suitably secured to the lower edge of insulation plate 32'. One end of the conductor member 33 is pivoted on the pin 24 between the resilient sides 23 of bracket 22 and the other end of conductor member 33 is raised and lowered between the resilient contact plates l5.

Accordingly by connecting the terminals H and I2 in a battery cable (not shown) between a battery and a starter switch of a motor vehicle, and swinging handle 30 back and forth the knife or switch blade 33 will be moved into and out of engagement with contact plates I5 to open and close the circuit.

The handle 3|] is enclosed in a flexible dust and moisture-proof cover 34 covering slot I0 and secured to housing 6 by a rigid frame 35.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in 3 this art; A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A switch comprising a base of insulation material, a housing on top of the base having a slot, a pair of terminals extending upwardly through the base into the housing, a pair of channel members secured to the upper ends of the terminals in the housing, one of said channel members comprising a conductor and the other channel member comprising a contact, an L-shaped lever having an inverted channel at its lower edge, an insulation strip secured in the inverted channel, and a channel conductor se cured to the lower edge of the insulation strip and pivoted adjacent one end to said first named channeled conductor and movable into and out of engagement with the contact.

2. A switch comprising a base of insulation material, a housing on top of the base having a slot, a pair of terminals extending upwardly through the base into the housing, a pair of channel members secured to the upper ends of the terminals in the housing, one of said channel members comprising a conductor and the other channel member comprising a contact, an L-shaped lever having an inverted channel at its lower edge, an insulation strip secured in the inverted channel, a channel conductor secured to the lower edge of the insulation strip and pivoted adjacent one end to said first named channeled conductor, and said channeled contact comprising inwardly and downwardly curved opposed resilient flanges united with the sides of the contact and positioned inwardly and spaced therefrom to receive the second named channel conductor, said flanges and said sides of the contact having alined openings, a pin slidable in said openings, a pair of coil springs on the pin adjacent its ends and with the inner ends of the springs bearing against an adjacent flange and. said springs being freely positioned in the openings at the sides of the contact, and means at the ends or" the pin holding the springs under tension and including means for adjusting the tension of the springs.

WARD V. BRUGGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

